Adam Vella (picture) emulated his Maltese wrestling team-mate at the Commonwealth Games, David Galea, after qualifying for the bronze medal final in Glasgow today.
Yesterday, Galea reached the third place play-off bout in the 74kgs and this morning it was the turn of Vella, 24, to reach the same stage of the competition but in the 61kgs category.
The outcome must have delighted the Maltese wrestling federation who conducted an intensive training regime for both Vella and Galea before the Games got underway.
Vella lost his last 16 bout to Canada’s David Tremblay 4-1 but showed better qualities when facing Arnaud Essindi Sengui, of Cameroon, in a repechage contest which the Maltese competitor won 5-0, the victory coming by fall.
This evening Vella will try to break Team Malta’s duck in the medals table when facing 36-year-old wrestler Viorel Etko, of Scotland, at the SECC Hall.